Drive-point.



W. H. FAHRNEY.

DRIVE POINT.

APPLICATION IILIIIJ SEPT. 10, 1909.

Patented Sept. 5,1911.

coLuMmA PLANOGRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON, n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HENRY FAHRNEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRIVE-P OINT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. FAHR- NEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDrive-Points, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to drive points, and has for its primary objectto provide an improved detachable drive point for caissons, molds,hollow piles, or other similar devices adapted to be driven intoposition in the earth and which, for convenience of illustration, hasbeen shown on the drawings as applied to a hollow pile or caisson.

More specifically, the primary object of this invention is to provide animproved detachable drive point which is adapted to be drawn upwardlythrough the caisson or pile after said caisson or pile has been loweredinto its final position. v

Another object is to provide improved means for detachably connectingsaid drive point to the caisson.

Still another object is to provide improved means for operating theconnections between the drive point and the caisson.

Other and further objects will appear in the specification and be moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings illustrating an exemplification of theinvention, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of a caissonprovided with the preferred embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is atransverse section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

According to the preferred embodiment shown on the drawings, the caisson1, preferably of U-shaped cross section as shown in Fig. 2, is providedabove with a drive cap 2, which may be suitably secured to the top ofthe caisson in any preferred manner, but which is preferably maintainedin position thereon in the manner hereinafter to be made clear.Detachably connected with the lower end of the caisson 1 is a drivepoint 3, which may be made of any suitable conformation in cross sectionto adapt it to be drawn through said caisson after it has been loweredinto its final position. In order to provide means for adapting thedrive point 3 to releasably engage the lower end of the caisson 1 toprevent said drive point from being moved upwardly through the caissonduring the progress of the driving operation,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 10, 1909.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

Serial No. 517,004.

suitable means are mounted on said drive point for adapting the drivepoint to be moved into and out of engagement with the caisson.Preferably, however, said means are in the form of a plurality of dogs5, which are preferably pivotally mounted in termediate of their ends,as at 6, within reoesses 7, said recesses communicating along the axisof said point to provide a chamber within the upper portion t of thepoint. In order to provide means for holding the dogs 5 normally inposition, in which they project beyond the lateral faces or surfaces ofthe drive point 3, the outer end 8 of each of said dogs is maderelatively heavy in proportion to the inner end thereof, so that theweight of the same will cause the outer ends 8 to project outwardly intoengagement with the lower end of the caisson 1. Said dogs arefurthermore suitably proportioned to have the inner ends 9 thereofadjacently ar ranged contiguous to the axis of the drive point 3, insuch manner as to adapt them to be operated upon by an enlargement orhead 10 rigidly mounted upon the lower end of a rod or bar 11, whichextends substantially the entire length of the caisson 1. Adjacent itslower end the rod 11 is provided with a threaded portion 12 by means ofwhich it is adapted to adjustably engage the top of the portion 4 of thedrive point 3. Said rod 11 is provided with a swivel connection at 13with a turn buckle 14, the upper end of said turn buckle being providedwith suitable threaded connections with a rod or bolt 15 depending fromthe cap 2 at the upper end of the caisson 1. By means of thisconstruction suitable means in the form of a sectional tension memberare provided for suspending the drive point 3 from the upper end of thecaisson 1, while at the same time said means is made adjustablelongitudinally to vary the length thereof by means of the turn buckle 14with its connections. By means of the swivel connection 13, the rod 11is adapted to be rotated on its axis in such manner as to cause thelower end 12 thereof to be moved axially through the threadedperforation in the portion 4: of the drive point. It will thus be seenthat when the rod 11 is turned upon its axis by means of a wrench orother suitable means, the enlargement or head 10 will be moved intooperable engagement with the inner ends 9 of the dogs 5. Consequently,after the caisson 1 has been lowered into its final position, the

turn buckle lt having been rotated in a direction to lengthen the drivepoint suspension means, the rod 11 may have a further axial adjustmentimparted thereto until said dogs 5 are retracted inwardly from thepositions in which they engage the lower end of the caisson 1. Saiddrive point 3 is therefore now adapted to be drawn through the caisson 1and to be removed therefrom at the top of the caisson.

hat I claim is:..

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with acaisson, of a drive point adapted to be moved through said caisson, saidpoint being provided with means releasably engaging said caisson, a pairof rod sections for suspending said point in position on the caisson,one of said sections being supported from above and the other of saidsections being connected to said point and operably related to saidcaisson-engaging means carried by the point, and means for adjustablyconnecting said rod sections.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with acaisson, of .a drive point movable through said caisson and providedwith means for releasably engaging said caisson, a suspension rodconnected to said point and operably related to said releasablecaisson-engaging means, a drive cap on said caisson, and meansadjustable in length for supporting said suspension rod from said cap.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with acaisson, of a drive cap mounted on said caisson, a rod depend ing fromsaid cap, a drive point adapted to be moved through said caisson, saidpoint being provided with means for releasably engaging said caisson,and means for securing said point in position on the caisson, said meanscomprising a rod movably engaging said pointand adapted to operablyengage the caisson-engaging means, and means for adjustably connectingsaid rods together.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with acaisson, of a drive cap mounted on said caisson, a rod depending fromsaid cap, a drive point adapted to be moved through said caisson, saidpoint being provided with means for releasably engaging said caisson, arod engaging said point and movable axially with respect thereto, thelast said rod being provided with a portion movable into and out ofengagement with the caisson-engaging means, and means adjustablyconnecting said rods together to secure the drive point to the caisson.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with acaisson provided with a drive cap, a rod depending from said cap, adrive point adapted to be moved through said caisson, a dog pivotallymounted on said point to be moved into and out of engagen'lent with thecaisson, a rod having threaded connection with said point, the last saidrod being provided with a head movable into and out of operableengagement with said dog, and a turn buckle having. threaded connectionswith both of said rods whereby said drive point may be adjustablysupjiiorted by said rods.

(3. In a device for the purpose described, a drive point provided with aplu ality of recesses, av plurality of dogs pivotally mountedintermediately of their ends in said recesses, one end of each dog beingheavier than the other to n'iaintain said dog normally in a position inwhich it projects beyond the lateral surface of the drive point and theother ends of said dogs being contiguously disposed and projectingupwardly, and means bearing down on said contiguous ends for retractingsaid dogs from their normal positions.

7. In a device for the purpose described, a drive point provided with aplurality of recesses, a plurality of dogs pivotally mountedintermediately of their ends in said recesses, one end of each dog beingheavierthan the other to maintain said dog normally in a position inwhich it projects beyond the lateral surface of the drive point and theother ends of said dogs being contiguously disposed, and threaded meansengaging said contiguous ends for retracting said dogs from their normalpositions.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with acaisson provided with a drive cap, a rod depending from said cap, adrive point adapted to be moved through said caisson, a plurality ofdogs pivoted intermediately of their ends on said drive point and withtheir inner ends contiguously disposed, a rod having threaded connectionwith said point, the last said rod being provided with a head movableinto and out of simultaneous operable engagement with the inner ends ofsaid dogs, and a turn buckle having threaded connections with both ofsaid rods whereby said drive point may be adjustably supported by saidrods.

9. In a device for the purpose described, the combination with acaisson, of a drive point therefor, said drive point being adapted to bemoved through said caisson and provided with dogs pivoted intermediatelyof their ends on said point, one end of each of said dogs being thusadapted to be moved into and out of engagement with the lower end ofsaid caisson, and means suspended from the upper end of the caisson forsecuring said drive point to the caisson, said means being provided witha portion engaging the other ends of said dogs for simultaneouslyretracting the outer ends thereof from engagement with said caisson.

10. In a device for the purpose described, the combination with acaisson provided with a drive cap, of a drive point adapted to be movedthrough said caisson, said point being provided with dogs pivotedthereon intermediately of their ends, one end of each dog beingrelatively heavier than the other end to maintain said dog normally inengagement with the lower end of the caisson, extensible means dependingfrom said cap and adjustably secured to said drive point, and meanscarried by said extensible means for engaging the other ends of saiddogs whereby said dogs are moved from their positions of normalengagement with said caisson by the extension of said extensible means.

11. In a device for the purpose described, the combination with acaisson, of a drive point adapted to be drawn through the caisson, dogspivotally mounted on said point, said dogs being movable into and out ofengagement with the lower end of the caisson, and extensible means forlocking the drive point to the caisson, said means connecting said drivepoint with a support adjacent the upper end of the caisson.

12. In a device for the purpose described, the combination with acaisson provided with a drive cap, of a drive point adapted to be drawnthrough the caisson, dogs pivotally mounted on said point and adapted tobe moved into and out of engagement with the lower end of the caisson,and means for suspending the drive point from said cap, said means beingmovable longitudinally to operate said dogs and ad justable in length tolock the point on the caisson.

13. In a device for the purpose described, the combination with acaisson provided with a drive cap, of a drive point adapted to be drawnthrough the caisson, dogs pivotally mounted on said point whereby theyare adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with the lower end ofthe caisson, and means for suspending the drive point from said cap,said means being adjustably connected below with the drive point andprovided with a head for simultaneously operating said dogs, and a turnbuckle above provided with threaded connections to adjust the length ofsaid suspension means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 8th day of September A.D. 1909.

\VILLIAM HENRY FAHRNEY.

Vitnesses CHARLES H. SEEM, FRANCIS A. HOPKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

